Crappy AM reception. AM Antenna suggestions?

[Gee Emm]

G'day all

 

I am hoping some member here will have a solution to my problem.

 

I like to listen to 774 on the AM band for news, AFL football etc.

 

AM reception in my house is worse than outside my house.

Unfortunately, the AM receiver/s are inside my house.

 

I have external loop antennas that came with the tuners, but they are not really adequate for decent reception in my house or garage.

 

I've had a quick look via the interweb & youtube looking for solutions, but nothings really jumping out at me eg I am not going to put a 1 metre round diameter antenna inside my house or run a 150 long wire around the perimeter of my house.

 

Surely I am not the only member here withis problem!?

Surely, someone here has a simple effective solution for AM reception.

 

I had an old NAD analogue receiver that had fantastic AM reception, but the power amp section bit the dust & I binned it.

 

Digital AM/FM tuners (not DAB+) don't even have ferrite-core AM antennas anymore.

 

I'm not looking for a DAB+ or internet radio solution.

I have tried bunny ears. No good.

 

Any ideas?

 

Thanks

 

Graham

Edited May 10, 2013 by mr-happy-pants

[cheekyboy]

Hi Graham, can you listen to 774 online? I've never bothered here, because the reception is good.

 

Cheers,

 

Keith

 

Edit: Sorry I didn't read all your post and I see you're not interested in an internet solution or digital radio.

Edited May 10, 2013 by cheekyboy

[Saxon Hall]

It is a shame you have discounted DAB+ because my AM reception is also patchy. A cheap DAB+ radio with a headphone output connected into my sound system has produced brilliant results. No hum and many AM stations also broadcast in stereo on DAB+.

[djb]

Stand firm graham don't endorse digital radio

Says he with iner city perfect reception

[jimsan]

Hi Graham,

 

Have you had a look at PK antennas?

 

http://www.amradioantennas.com/hifi_antennas.htm

 

Cheers

 

James

[Zaphod Beeblebrox]

This is a very difficult situation to deal with. The best AM radio you can find will be an AUSTRALIAN made car radio (preferably SS) from the 1960s. Astor (Diamond Dot) were very, very good. Even better, is to find an Alan Wright AM tuner (I have one of these), but they are quite rare. Best of all, is an Audiosound AM tuner. These came in various models, but the best date from around 1985 and offer superb AM performance, with an external antenna. And when I say "suberb", I mean REALLY, REALLY superb. Almost FM quality. Audiosound tuners were/are used by most Australian AM radio stations to monitor their signal.

 

Now, if none of these suggestions work, here is what you can try:

 

First, you need to understand the problems, so you can work through the solutions.

 

AM radio is responsive to all kinds of interference. Any metal internal structures (Sisilationâ„¢, steel framing, etc) will severely impair the performance of an AM radio.

 

Most hi fi tuners are not designed to be used with external antennae.

 

What to do?

 

If your tuner has one of those 'bar' type antennae, you could wrap three or four turns of wire around one end of the antenna. Connect the ends of the wires to some good quality coax cable (TV antenna cable should work). Run the cable to the outside of the home. Make a frame of, say, 200mm square and wind about 20 turns of wire around the perimeter of the frame. Connect each end of the frame wire to the coax cable. Try earthing one end of the coax, or not.

 

If your tuner has one of those open frame type antennae (with two connecting wires), then just connect the coax to the two terminals on the tuner, run the cable outside and connect the open frame antenna to the coax cable as before.

 

Talk to Audionutz. He may have an Audiosound AM tuner left (though I doubt it).

 

Almost any AM tuner built by Japanese and US companies since the late 1960s is crap. Some of the best were the Australian made portable radios from the 1960s.

Edited May 10, 2013 by Zaphod Beeblebrox

[Gee Emm]

It is a shame you have discounted DAB+ because my AM reception is also patchy. A cheap DAB+ radio with a headphone output connected into my sound system has produced brilliant results. No hum and many AM stations also broadcast in stereo on DAB+.

I'm not dissing DAB+, I want to figure out how to fix the problem I have without having to replace all of my AM devices in the house, garage etc...

 

AM radio is responsive to all kinds of interference. Any metal internal structures (Sisilationâ„¢, steel framing, etc) will severely impair the performance of an AM radio.

 

Annoyingly, I live in a brick veneer house. The only metal things in it are the nails holding the timber together.

 

 

If your tuner has one of those 'bar' type antennae, you could wrap three or four turns of wire around one end of the antenna. Connect the ends of the wires to some good quality coax cable (TV antenna cable should work). Run the cable to the outside of the home. Make a frame of, say, 200mm square and wind about 20 turns of wire around the perimeter of the frame. Connect each end of the frame wire to the coax cable. Try earthing one end of the coax, or not.

 

 

Unfortunately, the AM devices I want to use do not have ferrite core antennas, this is part of my problem, as they can be quite effective, compared to the crappy loop antennas supplied with the AVR/tuner/receiver/s I have. My 1970's analogue NAD receiver had a ferrite core antenna and was exceptional. FM like.

 

 

If your tuner has one of those open frame type antennae (with two connecting wires), then just connect the coax to the two terminals on the tuner, run the cable outside and connect the open frame antenna to the coax cable as before.

 

It's worth a try.

 

Have you had a look at PK antennas? http://www.amradioan...fi_antennas.htm

 

I'll check it out.

 

Thanks.

Edited May 10, 2013 by mr-happy-pants

[Tony M]

A decade or two ago, I tried very hard to get good sounding AM radio as there was an AM station I liked listening to.  No hifi aspirations here - just clear clean sound with what used to be called a "nice tone"

 

My quest involved trying a range of modern and not-so-new tuners and receivers and buying and concocting a variety of internal and external aerials.  I found very little really helpful info on the net or from talking to hifi sales guys.

 

Eventually I came to the realization that my vintage AM radios sounded consistently better than anything I fed through the hifi system- in ways that I couldn't exactly define.  I did come across a highly regarded AM tuner (on ZB's list) at the home of an SNA member in Victoria, but alas, he had no intentions of selling.   If you ever change your mind, Tony C..........  

 

Now, I use 5 main options for AM - car radio in the old Ford, Tivoli Radio one in the living room, Tivoli plastic thingy in the bathroom or 1950 Zenith Transoceanic for a nostalgic treat and to keep its electrons lubricated.

 

Internet radio via the SONOS thru the hifi system sounds the best in objective terms, but I just can't warm to it for some reason.

 

Sorry Mr HP - not much help.

[Gee Emm]

G'day Tony

 

I feel your pain

 

I also can't warm to AM via the internet. It sounds like it is coming out of a dog food can or some-such.

 

And I only have internet radio in one room of the house, not the garage.

 

I'll try ZB's suggestion in the garage & see how I go.

 

What have I got to lose? Nuthin'!

 

I rue the day i chucked that analogue receiver.

[Upfront]

They used to run wire around (a couple of laps) in the ceiling space and back down to the tuner. This makes one massive antenna.

[Steve M]

Yes agreed, AM radio reception is generally crappy in the home except via internet radio ...go Fran Kelly or Walid Ali on Radio National 810!

Steve.

Edited May 10, 2013 by Steve M

[Grumpy]

I had a bit of trouble recently with my AM reception too (footy talkback) using one of those plastic AM indoor things with the wire wrapped around it that just sit on it's own little clip out stand. What I did was unwrap the wire and extended it out as far as I could to one side and it worked - although I am getting a little crosstalk which also happens with my other 2 channel set up so i think the AM channels might be at fault here.

It might help you if you have one of those little ariels to give it a try

Edited May 10, 2013 by Grumpy

[Gee Emm]

using one of those plastic AM indoor things with the wire wrapped around it that just sit on it's own little clip out stand. What I did was unwrap the wire and extended it out as far as I could to one side and it worked -

 

G'day Grumpy

 

You do know I can't see what you are talking about, don't you!?

 

Can you please re-write it?

 

Graham

[Grumpy]

Sorry Mr HP I'm not good at explaining things am I

This is the ariel I was talking about

I just undid the wires which are wrapped around it and extended them out as far as i could to where the reception was best.

[Gee Emm]

Thanks Grumpy

 

Looks like a NAD AM loop antenna?

[Zaphod Beeblebrox]

Thanks Grumpy

 

Looks like a NAD AM loop antenna?

 

It's the kind of loop antenna supplied with many receivers nowadays. If that is the type used with your receiver, then all you need to do is to run a length of coax to the outside of your home. Connect the receiver at one end and the loop antenna at the other. Check earthing. Usually, one terminal on the receiver will be earthed. Orient the antenna for best reception. Usually, this means the loop will face the transmission towers.

[surprisetech]

Hi Graham,

 

Have you had a look at PK antennas?

 

http://www.amradioantennas.com/hifi_antennas.htm

 

Cheers

 

James

 

A PK antennas passive loop solved my problems out in the hills. 

C-LOOP-HDMATCH

 

It's directional, so when it's a particular station that you want to receive, you can orient the antenna for that station.

Australian product too.

[surprisetech]

Also using one of these DIY loops on a short pole outside the garage.

Choose the type of wood accordingly if you plan to use it outdoors.

 

http://socalradiowaves.com/columns/am_antenna.html

[georgehifi]

Maybe this is worth a try, if you have plastic down pipes your metal roof gutter might make for one mother of an antenna.

 

Cheers George

Edited May 13, 2013 by georgehifi

[VanArn]

If you can build things from scratch,then there are circuits for boosting the signal to your A.M.radio.Google for broadband A.M.  signal amplifiers if you are interested in this approach.

[LogicprObe]

I have one of these..............works fine for 702!

 

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/VINTAGE-RETRO-ANTIQUE-HMV-LITTLE-NIPPER-MODEL-62-52-RADIO-WORKING-1955-/140969003444?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_15&hash=item20d26849b4

[surprisetech]

On 10/05/2013 at 5:49 PM, Zaphod Beeblebrox said:

Best of all, is an Audiosound AM tuner. These came in various models, but the best date from around 1985 and offer superb AM performance, with an external antenna. And when I say "suberb", I mean REALLY, REALLY superb. Almost FM quality. Audiosound tuners were/are used by most Australian AM radio stations to monitor their signal.

 

 

@Gee Emm

A lot of water under the bridge since this thread was started, but an Audiosound AM Tuner has popped up on ebay.

It looks to be in good condition, but unfortunately, it's listed as not working.  Possibly only because the seller hasn't tested it.  Who knows?

 

https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/335523786661

[Zaphod Beeblebrox]

21 minutes ago, surprisetech said:

 

@Gee Emm

A lot of water under the bridge since this thread was started, but an Audiosound AM Tuner has popped up on ebay.

It looks to be in good condition, but unfortunately, it's listed as not working.  Possibly only because the seller hasn't tested it.  Who knows?

 

https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/335523786661

Well spotted. Could be interesting. Looks like a professional model, designed for use by radio stations.

 

[surprisetech]

4 hours ago, Zaphod Beeblebrox said:

Well spotted. Could be interesting. Looks like a professional model, designed for use by radio stations.

 

 

Would be an interesting piece of kit to look over, but I won't be bidding. 
Only ever listen to AM on the odd occasion in the car these days.

And I'm in the process of culling some tuners and other gear at present, really don't need another one. 

There's two active bidders at the moment, so someone will have some fun with it.

[Zaphod Beeblebrox]

I am tempted. No idea why.